Education unions blame lack of teachers for poor results
The education trade unions have blamed the shortage of teachers in particular for the poor performance of German pupils in the Pisa study. "Now we can see what a shortage means," explained Gerhard Brand, Federal Chairman of the Verband Bildung und Erziehung (VBE) trade union on Tuesday. "Substitute lessons and school absences have consequences." Politicians should take this as a warning call to significantly expand their efforts to combat the shortage of teachers, Brand demanded.
"We don't need a second Pisa shock, we finally need a Pisa jolt," said Brand. He sees further reasons for the poor results in the inadequate digitalization of schools, the pandemic-related school closures and the great social inequality in Germany.
The trade union "Education and Science" (GEW) described it as a "scandal" that the dependence of children and young people's school performance on their parents has not decreased for over 20 years. "For decades, Germany has had both an achievement problem and a glaring equity problem," explained GEW board member Anja Bensinger-Stolze.
She also criticized a "blatant lack of staff". "Massive efforts" are needed to recruit many more teachers and specialists. "This issue belongs at the top of the agenda."
The deputy head of the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB), Elke Hannack, spoke of "shocking results". The federal and state governments must "finally agree on effective steps for more teachers, more social work and more individual support for young people - immediately". The DGB is now calling on the federal government to set up a special infrastructure fund that can be used to invest heavily in daycare centers and schools, among other things."
The employers' side was also shocked by the Pisa results. The current findings document "the appalling results of education policy", emphasized employer president Rainer Dulger.
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The education trade unions, including GEW, have highlighted the "blatant lack of staff" as a significant contributing factor to the persistent achievement and equity problems in German education. Politicians and governments are urged to substantially increase their efforts to address this teacher shortage, as highlighted by Brand's call for a "Pisa jolt" to combat the issue.
The recent PISA study also underscores the impact of this teacher shortage, with substitute lessons and school absences leading to consequences that negatively impact pupil performance. This is a concern that education trade unions, such as the VBE, are raising with politicians and urging them to take action.
Source: www.ntv.de
